Ryan had just been named Ireland U-20s captain, and one of his first duties was to meet a small group of assembled media. A picture of the first Dáil, which James Snr was also a member, takes pride of place in the Ryan household. “James was my Senior Cup captain and my Junior Cup captain when I was in second year,” Rónan Kelleher, who starts at hooker for Ireland today, recalls. Photo: SportsfileBack in Leinster, Ryan also has an ideal role model in Leo Cullen, who has been hugely influential in the lock's development. “He’s really clued into those shoes for the last couple of years really.

Source: Irish Independent November 20, 2020 22:18 UTC